Who says early December is not crowded?

[Snurk71]

Sorry to share this, but Wishes did show on Wednesday. The rain let up about 10-20 minutes before the start and didn't rain at all during the fireworks.

 

[rangebob]

It has been totally amazing. None of the parks died down like they did in years past. It actually just died down last week and will start to pick back up this weekend since most schools are getting out for the holidays.

 

[Kay1]

Gosh! If the crowd increase is this dramatic I hope someone takes note and really gears up for the actual Christmas crowd. We've gone several times at Christmas and things always go well when they open all the parks early instead of just the regular EE days.

 

[DisneyKidds]

We were there from 11/28 thru 12/7 and I'd classify the crowds as low. Perhaps a little larger than same time last year.............but still low. Yes, the weekends were truely crowded, but during the week most of the lines were walk on and many attractions didn't even have FastPass active. Lines for the attractions is how I judge crowds. Actually, walk on lines with more crowded common areas is the best of both worlds. I find WDW a strange place when it is completely deserted.

 

[tiggerzpalz]

We were there 12/7-12/11 and found the crowds great. Then again we usually go in the summer around Fourth of July so these crowds were nothing in comparison. Our little one is almost 1.5 so we spent alot of time in Fantasyland and found it great. We waited no longer than 10-15 minutes for rides like Dumbo and Pooh where you could normally wait an hour. This was our first time there at Christmas so I don't know what the decorations were like but we thought they were beautiful. It is a shame to hear people complain about lack of Disney magic and Disney being cheap when reality is they are recovering from hard times just like an average family. I guess some just don't get that. As far as Santa pictures, free pictures were available all over especially in Epcot in America where the Santa was great. Maybe you just missed that. We loved the CP and MVMCP.

 

[elgerber]

I was there the 5th through the 14th, and we thought the crowds were low. Saturday at the MK was a zoo, but I knew it would be. The weekdays though, and the other parks were great. We walked on most rides, or had short waits. Our fast pass returns were not more than an hour our (except Test Track, later in the day).

Erika

 

[wannabee princess]

I think it is all in the eye of the beholder! I personally thought the crowds were not too bad (there 7th-14th). There were people there of course, but when we don't have waits over 10-20 minutes for major attractions like TT, ToT and all of the mountains, I am thinking the crowds aren't too bad!

Now, dh thought there were still a lot of people - of course he is the sort who would prefer a limit of 5,000 in the entire park and he thought MVMCP was crowded (not sold out though!) even though we literally walked straight on to the Speedway (probably unheard of during March!).

I have to say the Pop Warner crowd seemed to make a big difference. Most of the people we ended up in line with were either larger groups of cheerleaders or football players (because they tended to be wearing their t-shirts and hats we knew who they were).

 

[k_k_100]

We were there 12/6-8. All I can say is timing is everything! We were very limited in time so lines meant everything. Pirates was very crowded on Monday (30 min. wait) I found it frustrating because there was no sign saying how long the wait would be. When standing in line w/ a 2 yr. old I avoid anything longer then 10-15 min.

We were going to go on Small World but the line was 30 min! We went to Toon Town and almost walked in to see Pooh. When we returned the line for Small World was down to less then 5 min! When we got off our boat the line was forming again and was up to 15.

This is my 4th trip during this time frame. 2 times pre 9-11 & 2 times post. It was more crowded then any other time I have been. Maybe it seemed more crowded due to all the cuts they have made?

~Kim

 

[erinz]

Well....my perception may be way off, but we were there from 12-7 to 12-15 and I thought the crowds were really low. We never waited for a ride. Ofcourse, we didn't spend a whole lot of time in Tomorrowland or Fantasyland so maybe that explains it. We went to DTD 3x and it was never crowded. MGM got a bit crowded on the 10th, but it didn't seem bad. I was really worried about the crowds before we went, but was very pleasantly surprised. We stayed away from the parks on the weekend also which probably helped. We went the same time in Dec 1999 and it was more crowded then.

In terms of the decorations. I thought they were fantastic. I think it helped though that we were in the parks mostly in the evenings when things were lit up. MGM was sort of lacking in Christmas magic I thought, but I was just cranky that day. We never went to AK so I don't know what it was like there. So my votes for great Christmas decorations would be MK, Epcot and DTD. Oh and resort lobbies......

 

[ruvidu]

We arrived on 12/1 and left on 12/5 and we discussed that the parks were not too crowded at all. We talked to folk who were there Thanksgiving week and they said it was really crowded.
We never stood in line for anything more than 10 min.
For all of you that think the crowds will intice Disney to do more I think you will be disappointed. What company do any of you know that has cut back, made lots more money and then went back to their old ways. Not the one I work for any way.
As long as folks keep lining up, paying big prices and indure a lack of customer service Disney will keep cutting back. We will not be back for a while. 15 to 20 people standing in line to check in to a Deluxe Resort while only 2 CMs handled it turned us off big time.
Next vacation we will spend our $3000 somewhere else.

 

[andrabell]

Our experience couldn't have been better. We had a most magical trip 11/27-12/6. Everywhere we visited seemed to be just about right, with the exception of DTD on the Saturday after Thanksgiving. What a zoo! The crowds drove us away.
We spent A LOT of time in the parks commando style and didn't wait in line for much of anything, made use of FastPass just so we could ride again and again and MVMCP was like having the place all to ourselves. The two sit-down meals we had without PS's, we were seated within mintues. I loved revisiting it all on the Magical Disney Holiday special that just aired on Travel.

---Andra
Gotta love that pixie dust.